Vostok, Antarctica Plunges to -105°F (-75°C) in Coldest March Temperature Ever Recorded on the Continent

ANTARCTICA — An extraordinary burst of polar cold has sent temperatures at Vostok Station, Antarctica plunging to -105°F (-75°C), marking what is being described as the coldest March temperature ever recorded on the continent.

The reading is especially notable because March marks the beginning of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere — not the peak of winter — making the intensity of the cold even more striking.

A Historic March Freeze at Vostok

Vostok Station, located deep in East Antarctica, is no stranger to extreme cold. The site holds the distinction of recording the coldest temperature ever observed on Earth: -128.6°F (-89.2°C) in July 1983.

However, this latest -105°F reading stands out for occurring in March, well before the Antarctic winter has fully developed.

The temperature equates to -75°C, reinforcing just how severe the cold air mass was over the interior of the continent.

Perspective: Among the Coldest Places on Earth

For comparison:

• The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth: -128.6°F at Vostok, Antarctica
• The coldest temperature recorded in the Northern Hemisphere: -93.3°F in Greenland

While the new -105°F mark does not surpass the all-time global record, it represents an exceptional early-season cold event for Antarctica.

Early Autumn, Yet Deep Winter Conditions

March in Antarctica signals the transition from summer to autumn, when daylight hours rapidly decline and temperatures begin their seasonal descent.

Reaching -105°F at this stage of the calendar highlights:

• An intense cold air mass over East Antarctica
• Strong radiational cooling over the high Antarctic plateau
• Extremely dry, stable atmospheric conditions

The Antarctic interior is already one of the coldest regions on Earth, but such early-season extremes are rare even by polar standards.

Extremes at Both Ends of the Globe

Meteorologists note that when atmospheric patterns amplify in one region, they often correlate with significant anomalies elsewhere.

While Antarctica endured one of its coldest March readings on record, other regions of the globe have recently experienced unusual warmth or volatile temperature swings — underscoring the dynamic nature of the planet’s atmosphere.

The Bottom Line

Vostok Station in Antarctica dropped to -105°F (-75°C), marking the coldest March temperature ever recorded on the continent and reinforcing Antarctica’s status as the coldest place on Earth.

Even for a region synonymous with extreme cold, this early-autumn plunge stands out as a remarkable meteorological event.

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